Numbers and Counting

Les nombres et le calcul

French numbers
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Learn the French numbers and how to count from 0 to 59.

French Numbers: 0-19

The numbers 0 to 19 are pretty easy in French; you just need to memorize them like any other vocabulary:

0 zéro    10 dix
1 un, une   11 onze
2 deux   12 douze
3 trois   13 treize
4 quatre   14 quatorze
5 cinq   15 quinze
6 six   16 seize
7 sept   17 dix-sept
8 huit   18 dix-huit
9 neuf   19 dix-neuf

  Proper French pronunciation

You’ll notice that the consonants at the end of cinq and huit are pronounced. However, this is only true when the numbers stand alone (as in the sound files), precede a vowel or h muet, or are at the end of a sentence. When either of these numbers is followed by a consonant, that final sound is dropped.

Par exemple…

cinq étudiants five students q is pronounced [k]
J’en ai cinq. I have five of them. q is pronounced [k]
cinq professeurs five teachers q is silent

Six and dix offer further complications.

  • The x is pronounced [s] when they stand alone or are at the end of a sentence.
  • In front of a vowel, the pronunciation changes to [z] due to the required required liaison.
  • It’s silent when followed by a consonant

Par exemple…

J’en ai six. I have six of them. x is pronounced [s]
six étudiants six students x is pronounced [z]
six professeurs six teachers x is silent

 French number practice

Get used to French numbers with these listen-and-repeat exercises, as well as random number files to test your comprehension:

Using French numbers

Lessons that rely on your understanding of French numbers:

French expressions with numbers

French Numbers: 20-59

The French numbers 20 through 59 are formed just like their English equivalents: the tens word (vingt, trente, quarante, cinquante) is joined by a hyphen to the ones word (un, deux, trois, etc).

 There is one difference: for 21, 31, 41, and 51, the word et (and) is required between the tens word and un, with or without hyphens.

20 vingt   30 trente
21 vingt et un
vingt-et-un
  31 trente et un
trente-et-un
22 vingt-deux   32 trente-deux
23 vingt-trois   33 trente-trois
24 vingt-quatre   34 trente-quatre
25 vingt-cinq   35 trente-cinq
26 vingt-six   36 trente-six
27 vingt-sept   37 trente-sept
28 vingt-huit   38 trente-huit
29 vingt-neuf   39 trente-neuf
         
40 quarante   50 cinquante
41 quarante et un
quarante-et-un
  51 cinquante et un
cinquante-et-un
42 quarante-deux   52 cinquante-deux
43 quarante-trois   53 cinquante-trois
44 quarante-quatre   54 cinquante-quatre
45 quarante-cinq   55 cinquante-cinq
46 quarante-six   56 cinquante-six
47 quarante-sept   57 cinquante-sept
48 quarante-huit   58 cinquante-huit
49 quarante-neuf   59 cinquante-neuf

 Listening practice: 20-59

Using French numbers

Expressions with French numbers

French lesson plans French lesson plans

 More French numbers

French for beginners French for beginners

Self-study checklist with lessons, quizzes, and comprehension exercises.
 

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Counting in French

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